A proposal to extend a sales tax to fund transit projects is too close to call, officials announced today. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/Clerk flagged Measure J and four other races as "close contests" based on the number of outstanding provisional and vote-by-mail ballots still to tally.

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"Visually, we can tell it's a record number of provisional ballots, probably in the hundreds of thousands," said Registrar spokeswoman Monica Flores.

Measure J needs two-thirds of votes to pass. It is currently is trailing at 64.72%; it needs 66.67% to pass. The measure would extend Measure R, a 30-year half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2008 to fund transit projects, by another 30 years to accelerate the completion of the projects.

The Registrar's Office has 28 days to certify the outcomes of all races and ballot measures on the county ballot. Officials will be "double- and triple-checking" that provisional ballot voters were eligible and registered and that they did not submit provisional ballots at more than one polling place, Flores said.

The other close-call races are El Monte's Measure F, an ordinance affecting rents at mobile home parks, races in the 36th and 50th Assembly districts, and a seat for the Cerritos Community College District Governing Board.

City News Service contributed to this report.

About the Author

Zach Behrens is KCET's Director of News, Region and State, working on digital and on-air news products that relate to Southern California and beyond.
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